Ficlet 42: Survivors
by CloakedHestia
Summary: Set a few weeks after the episode Fannysmackin', we take a look at Greg, Nick, and Sara as they recount early tales of on-the-job torture and how they survived it all. Friendship goodness.


Disclaimer: I don't own CSI. I am but a modest fan and writer.

A/N: Let's go back to a time where Sara was still part of the team and Greg just finished his recovery from the awful Fannysmackin' case. This is a friendship ficlet where Greg, Nick and Sara bond over their personal horror stories. Set a few weeks after the episode previously mentioned.

**Ficlet 42: Survivors**

"Come on, we're taking you to dinner and that's final."

Greg threw his hands up in defeat. Nick was badgering him to get something to eat ever since he got out of the hospital. When Sara heard about it she joined in and he finally agreed. His co-workers were quite persistent when they wanted to be.

"So where to?" Sara first looked at Nick, then she looked at Greg in the backseat. They didn't really seem to have any particular place in mind, so they drove around for a while before Nick got an idea.

"To the diner?"

"Where else," Greg gave them a half smile.

Sara stifled her groan. She couldn't compete with tradition.

Nick encouraged Greg to order anything he wanted, since he would pay for everything. While the two guys got the dinner specials, Sara decided to stick with coffee. She made it clear that she wasn't a big fan of the mostly meat-laden menu.

After finishing their meals they started talking, not wanting to leave just yet. Nick and Sara carefully avoided the issue about what happened to Greg, thinking he wouldn't want to talk about it, so they were rather surprised when it was him who brought up the issue.

"Warrick told me you punched one of the guys in the case with the tourists," Greg mentioned seemingly out of the blue. Nick took a second before answering.

"The ringleader? Yeah. I guess I kind of lost my cool."

"Can't say he didn't deserve it," Sara said, surprising the two men.

"I thought you were against violence."

She tried to explain herself, "I am… but some guys deserve… more than our definition of justice. I know that when Nick was buried…" she quickly stopped herself from putting her foot in her mouth. She obviously didn't stop quick enough.

"It's okay, Sara."

The three stayed silent before Nick spoke up again, "It helps to talk about it, Greg. I should know."

Greg just looked at him, then turned his attention to his coffee mug.

"I know you're probably feeling kind of weird about it, so I'll tell you what happened to me when I…"

"You don't have to. I shouldn't have brought it up-" Sara looked uncomfortable.

"No," he held up a hand to silence her, "I want to."

Gathering some courage, he started with the bagged cup he found at the fabricated scene.

"I never knew what hit me. And when I came to, I didn't realize it would get worse. A whole lot worse…"

Greg stared at his friend with a solemn expression. He respected Nick for saying all this, but he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"… the worst part was what was going on in my mind when I was underground. The confinement and the pain was horrible, but all I thought about was 'What if I never see my family and friends again?' When you guys came… and found me, I… if you came a minute later I know I wouldn't be here." His face was grim and his hands were gripping the table.

Greg swallowed hard, not sure of what to say.

"It comes with the job." The CSIs stared at Sara.

"No one on the team gets away unscathed. Not even me," she mulled it over, before continuing, "I know I have no right comparing what happened to me with what you guys went through. But the fear was the same. The fear…"

A pause.

"When I was doing the Garson case at the asylum, I never thought I would be in any danger. Even when I was alone." She stumbled on her words but kept going on, "I was checking for evidence when an inmate attacked me in the nurse's station. He locked the door and almost killed me. Grissom was just outside… but he may as well have been a hundred miles away."

"Sara, I never knew," Nick gave her a strangely sad look.

She just shook her head, as if to clear the thoughts from her memory, "It's fine. I'm fine. Now."

Greg stared at the two, compelled to say something after staying quiet for so long.

"I guess you're right. You know, when I became a CSI, I thought I'd be more responsible. More careful. The lab wasn't the same after the explosion. Neither was I."

Their attention was on Greg now.

"Uhhh… I guess it's pretty obvious that I was scared after it happened. I tried not to be, and I thought I put it behind me when I became a CSI. When the lab blew up, I should've known that

law enforcement isn't completely safe. No matter what field you're in."

Nick and Sara agreed.

"It's a safe bet to assume that no place is ever 100 safe. But we all have our demons, Greg. and they'll fade... in time." Sara gave him a reassuring smile.

"We survived. That's what matters," Nick's look was steadfast and certain.

Greg nodded, feeling somewhat comforted that they were willing to share their own intense experiences. It was not something he would soon forget.

**--**

_Yes, these three are survivors. And I won't even touch the doll lady who nearly killed Sara in the desert. Poor guys. It's nice to think they talked over their awful experienes, shared their pain, and found some kind of solace in that. So tell me what you think in a review and thanks for reading._


End file.
